We reached Port Macquarie today, and it was summer again — properly warm. We did the “doctor’s walk” along the front, past a run of beaches and then up around the cliffs for the views, before circling back to Town Beach for a swim. The waves were working, and there is a simple pleasure in just standing and letting them arrive.
It’s about 250 miles north of Sydney, and the town carries itself with a certain confidence: an arts scene, good places to eat, a strong surf culture, and that easy “we work, but we also stop” rhythm. You can see why people holiday here. The beach was excellent and the lifeguards were on duty — though the water, I’ll admit, was on the cold side of bracing.
This was our last day on the central north coast. It has been a lovely stretch, but tomorrow we turn back towards Sydney, and the coastal chapter closes.
Port Macquarie has one of the gentlest visitor attractions in the country and one of the most quietly important: the Koala Hospital, founded here in 1973 and thought to be the first in the world dedicated entirely to koalas. It has treated thousands of sick and injured animals over the decades — a small operation that became a serious front line as bushfire and habitat loss put the species under real threat.
Further reading: Port Macquarie Koala Hospital